Mount. Meru is 4562 meters high and lies well within Arusha National Park, its vantage point makes for perfect views of its popular counterpart Mt. Kilimanjaro. The History of Arusha National Park (ANAPA) dates back to 1876, when Count Teleki, a Hungarian, visited the Momella area. He commented on the vast hippo and Rhino population in the area. In 1907 the Treppa family settled in Momella and decided to farm using large areas of the present-day park territory as a cattle ranch, later on Mrs. Trappe became the first professional female hunter in East Africa and voluntarily set aside a large park of the Momella estate for a game sanctuary. When the park was formerly established in 1960, the farm and sanctuary were incorporated into the park.
In 1960, the park was known as the Ngordoto Crater National Park and in 1967 the Mount. Meru area become part of the park and the name of the park was then changed Arusha National Park. The name was derived from the Waarusha people who were the indegenous occupants of the current park area.
The Park is home to a number of attractions that include;
The Momella lakes which are fed by underground streams and are hot-spot for flamingo lovers and migratory bird species like the waterfowls that check-in all the way from the Northern hemisphere.
Serengeti Ndogo which means “little serengeti” owing to the open grassland area in which various grazers including buffaloes, warthogs, zebras, waterbucks and giraffes can be seen in large herds.
The 28-meter-high waterfalls and the Maio waterfalls located along the trail to the Mountain. A picnic site just by the Miao waterfalls is a perfect place to set-up your family outing.
The Kitoto viewpoint, which is a wide-open space overlooking the forest and has some of the best views of the Momella lakes and Mount. Kilimanjaro.
The Meru crater, located after the Kitoto view point and accessible via a trail that leads through the forest and suddenly ends at the open floor of the Mery crater. The crater wall is dominated by an ash-cone with excellent views of the Mount. Meru cliff face.
The Njeku viewpoint and cultural site is accessible via a narrow trail after you have passed the Meru crater. There is a plteform located on a high point overlooking the waterfall in the gorge of Ngarenanyuki river and is the same spot where the ancestors of the Meru people made sacrifices to their God especially in times of drought.
Other Activities here include walking safaris, canoeing and Of course climbing Mount. Meru.
